Schedule King's Day 2014

Why Orange?

Because the Dutch monarchy is the "House of Orange”, our national color is (no surprise) orange, and you will see it in abundance on King’s Day. So whether you are a Dutch transplant, a Dutch descendant, or just curious about the Dutch culture, grab all the orange you have in your closet (dust off that Halloween and Giants gear!) and find out what King’s Day is all about!

Volunteer!

Sign up to volunteer! As a volunteer you are invited to the Volunteer Training Evening on the Dutch Consulate on Thursday April 24 and you will receive an awesome IAMSTERDAM t-shirt!

If you want to participate in the "Vrijmarkt" (Dutch-styke flea market), send us an email.

Invite!

King's Night Party on April 25

Dutch Queen's Day or King's Day?

Beginning in 1949, the birthday of Queen Juliana was marked by a national celebration on April 30. To this day, Queen’s Day is celebrated by Dutch citizens all around the world and by those connected to or interested in the Dutch culture. Queen’s Day is a festive celebration for the whole family with a host of activities, including food, drinks, music, and games. In the Netherlands the biggest celebration takes place in Amsterdam, where orange-clad crowds take to the streets to mark this day of national pride with vrijmarkts (“flea markets”), open air concerts, and orange-themed food and beverages.

In January 2013 Queen Beatrix announced that she would abdicate the throne on April 30th after 33 years as head of state, clearing the way for her eldest son, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, to become the nation’s first king in more than a century. This will make this year’s celebration a special one and the first one to be called “King’s Day”. For the third time we will celebrate Queen’s Day in Golden Gate Park. The festivities will take place around Murphy’s Windmill (MLK drive & Great highway).